Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Friday, May 1, 2026
Devil Wears Prada 2 Opens to $10M+ in Previews, Tracking Toward $80M Debut
The long-awaited sequel to the 2006 blockbuster launched Thursday previews at more than $10 million, beginning at 2 p.m. and expanding across 4,150 North American theaters. Stars Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and Emily Blunt return for the David Frankel-directed follow-up, which is tracking between $73 million and $90 million domestically for the opening weekend. Presales of $20 million already place it ahead of both Project Hail Mary and Dune: Part Two at equivalent points. International projections add another $100 million, pointing to a global opening in the $175–$190 million range.
Sources: Deadline
Coyote vs. Acme Trailer Logs 25.6 Million Views in 24 Hours, Setting Independent Studio Record
The official trailer for Coyote vs. Acme, Ketchup Entertainment’s Looney Tunes-based live-action comedy, drew 25.6 million views in its first 24 hours after dropping Wednesday, making it the most-watched family film trailer launch by an independent studio in history according to analytics firm WaveMetrix. The record eclipses Angel Studios’ King of Kings, which opened to $19.3 million. Starring Will Forte, John Cena, and Lana Condor, the film hits theaters August 28. The project was originally shelved and written off by Warner Bros. Discovery in 2023 before Ketchup acquired global rights for a reported $50 million.
Sources: Deadline
AMC Global Media Debuts “First Views” Premium Ad Product at Annual Upfront
AMC Global Media unveiled its “First Views” streaming advertising product at its annual upfront presentation Wednesday, April 29 at Spring Studios in Manhattan, positioning ad placements during a viewer’s initial watch of any series episode as premium inventory. The company, recently rebranded from AMC Networks, argues that first-time viewership — even for catalog titles — commands higher rates because audiences are most attentive. Early buyers include financial-services firms, automotive marketers, and consumer-goods brands. The product is currently live across AMC+, Shudder, and Acorn TV, targeting the growing gap between streaming reach and traditional linear TV ad investment.
Sources: Variety
The CW Teams With ESPN and Roku in Upfront Content Partnership Deals
The CW Network finalized streaming distribution deals with ESPN and Roku as part of its 2026 upfront presentation, expanding the network’s reach across live sports and connected-TV audiences. Under the arrangement, The CW gains access to live sports programming from ESPN while providing Roku with an entertainment content library in exchange. The dual partnership addresses growing advertiser demand for cross-platform campaigns that span streaming-first viewers and legacy broadcast audiences. The CW, restructured under Nexstar Media Group in 2022, positioned the deals as evidence of its revitalized standing in the upfront market ahead of Upfront Week beginning May 11 in New York.
Sources: Deadline
Paramount Skydance Takes Intimate Approach to New York Upfront Season
Paramount CEO David Ellison hosted a partnership dinner Tuesday at Storied NYC in West Chelsea for ad agency Omnicom, marking the company’s first upfront as the newly combined Paramount Skydance entity. Ellison opted for smaller private gatherings in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York rather than traditional concert-scale presentations, telling attendees the goal is to build a leading media and entertainment company following the $8 billion Skydance merger that closed last August. The evening highlighted Paramount+, a Pluto TV overhaul planned for summer, and a content slate anchored by Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe, which remains a primary ad-sales driver.
Sources: Deadline
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael | Apr 25 | $97.0M | $97.0M |
| 2 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Apr 3 | $21.2M | $386.5M |
| 3 | Project Hail Mary | Mar 20 | $13.2M | $305.4M |
| 4 | The Mummy | Apr 17 | $5.6M | $23.4M |
| 5 | The Drama | Mar 13 | $2.6M | $44.8M |
| 6 | Hoppers | Mar 6 | $2.9M | $164.3M |
| 7 | You, Me & Tuscany | Apr 11 | $2.0M | $16.5M |
| 8 | Mother Mary | Apr 24 | $1.3M | $1.4M |
| 9 | Ready or Not 2 | Mar 20 | $0.8M | $23.0M |
| 10 | Wuthering Heights | Feb 13 | $0.5M | $91.0M |
| 11 | Faces of Death | Apr 10 | $0.3M | $5.5M |
| 12 | GOAT | Feb 14 | $0.2M | $116.0M |
| 13 | Scream 7 | Mar 6 | $0.15M | $121.9M |
| 14 | Crime 101 | Feb 6 | $0.10M | $76.0M |
| 15 | The Bride | Mar 6 | $0.09M | $11.8M |
| 16 | Send Help | Feb 6 | $0.07M | $28.0M |
| 17 | Exit 8 | Apr 10 | $0.05M | $3.2M |
| 18 | A Great Awakening | Apr 10 | $0.04M | $2.5M |
| 19 | I Can Only Imagine 2 | Feb 13 | $0.03M | $38.0M |
| 20 | Hokum | May 1 | Opening | N/A |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates (Apr 24–26, 2026)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency